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Andhra Pradesh Forest Department

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Andhra Pradesh Forest Department
Forests For Survival
Agency overview
JurisdictionGovernment of Andhra Pradesh
HeadquartersMangalagiri, Andhra Pradesh
Minister responsible
Agency executive
  • Sri Chiranjiv Choudhary, IFS, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (HoFF)
Websitehttp://www.forests.ap.gov.in/

Andhra Pradesh Forest Department is one of the administrative divisions of Government of Andhra Pradesh. It is headed by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Head of Forest Force. The primary function of this department is protection, conservation and management of forests in the Andhra Pradesh State. The Forest Department is organised into 12 territorial circles and 43 divisions. In addition, one Senior Officer of the rank of Deputy Conservator of Forests functions as Planning and Extension Officer in each district.

Flora and fauna

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Andhra Pradesh State is bestowed with two mighty river systems of Krishna and Godavari. The State has wide and varied vegetation types enriched by a variety of flora and fauna. Andhra Pradesh State Biodiversity Board, APSBB is a statutory body that maintains and keeps balance of biodiversity in ecosystems, landscapes, heritage sites. Andhra Pradesh being located strategically in the central region of the Indian sub-continent has representatives of the magnificent Indian plant and animal life. Its varied topography ranging from the hills of Eastern Ghats and Nallamallas to the shores of Bay of Bengal supports varied ecotypes, which in turn support a rich diversity of flora & fauna. The forests in the state can broadly be divided into four major biotic provinces.

1) Deccan Plateau - 53%

2) Central Plateau - 35%

3) Eastern Highland -11%

4) East Coastal Plains - 1%

The vegetation found in the state is largely of dry deciduous type with a mixture of Teak, and species of the genera Terminalia, Dalbergia, Pterocarpus, Anogeissus etc. The hills of Eastern Ghats add greatly to the Biological Diversity and provide centers of endemism for plants, birds and lesser forms of animal life. The varied habitat harbors a diversity of fauna which includes Tiger, Panther, Wolf, Wild Dog, Hyena, Sloth Bear, Gaur, Black Buck, Chinkara, Chowsingha, Nilgai, Cheetal, Sambar and a number of Birds and Reptiles. The long sea coast provides the nesting ground for sea turtles, the back water of Pulicat lake are the feeding grounds for Flamingo & Grey Pelican, the estuaries of river Godavari and Krishna support rich mangrove forests with Fishing Cat and Otters as key stone species.

The state is a proud possessor of some rare and endemic plants like Cycas beddomei, Pterocarpus santalinus, Terminalia pallida, Syzygium alternifolium, Shorea talura, Shorea tumburgia, Psilotum nudum etc. Among its rich fauna, the Double Banded or the Jerdon’s courser, the golden gecko, and the gray slender loris are some of the rare and endemic fauna of the state.

Protected areas

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Andhra Pradesh has a network of 13 sanctuaries and 1 national park in the state. There are 2 zoo parks established in the state.

Map of wildlife sanctuaries in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh
Kambalakonda
Kambalakonda
Coringa
Coringa
Papikonda
Papikonda
Koundinya
Koundinya
Krishna
Krishna
Rollapadu
Rollapadu
Lanka Malleswara
Lanka Malleswara
Nagarjuna sagar - Srisailam
Nagarjuna sagar - Srisailam
Gundla Brahmeswaram
Gundla Brahmeswaram
Penusila
Penusila
Sri Venkateswara
Sri Venkateswara
Pulicat
Pulicat
Nelapattu
Nelapattu
Telineelapuram
Telineelapuram
Kolleru
Kolleru
Uppalapadu
Uppalapadu
Kondakarla Ava
Kondakarla Ava
Map of wildlife sanctuaries in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Green is National Park, Red denotes Wildlife Sanctuaries, Blue denotes Bird Sanctuaries.
Wild Life Sanctuaries Area

(In km2.)

Papikonda Wildlife Sanctuary[1] 1012.86
Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary 235.70
Kolleru Bird Sanctuary 308.55
Kondakarla Ava Bird Sanctuary 1.3
Krishna Wildlife Sanctuary 194.81
Nagarjunasagar Srisailam (Project Tiger) 3568.00
Rolla Padu 6.14
Gundla Brahmeswara Wildlife Sanctuary 1194.00
Sri Lankamalleswara Wildlife Sanctuary 464.42
Nelapattu 4.58
Pulicat Lake Bird Sanctuary 500.00
Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary (Project Elephant) 357.60
Sri Penusila Narasimha Wildlife Sanctuary 1030.85
Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary 70.70
National Parks Area

(In km2.)

Sri Venkateswara National Park 525.97
Zoo park Location Area (in Acres)
Sri Venkateswara Zoological Park Tirupati 5,532 acres (22 km2)
Indira Gandhi Zoological Park Visakhapatnam 625 acres (2.5 km2)

References

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  1. ^ "Papikonda Wildlife Sanctuary Andhra Pradesh". Archived from the original on 9 May 2013. Retrieved 13 January 2013.
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